PULASKI, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee Southern men's soccer team battled through a physical contest to edge St. Thomas 1-0 on Sunday evening at Grissom Pitch.
The lone goal came in the 39th minute when a St. Thomas defender deflected the ball into his own net, giving the Firehawks the lead that stood the rest of the way. UT Southern's back line, anchored by keeper Louis Hester, held firm to secure the clean sheet. Hester finished with one save on the night, improving his record to 4-1-1.
On the attack, Stephen Bailey and Lorick Gustave each recorded two shots, while Gustave and Bailey both forced saves from the St. Thomas keeper. Filippo Fregoli and Mak Binder added pressure up front with two more attempts each.
Despite being outshot 11-8 and conceding 10 corner kicks, the Firehawks capitalized on their defensive organization and physical presence in the midfield to grind out the win.
First Half Team Stats
| Stat |
UT Southern |
St. Thomas |
| Shots |
3 |
9 |
| Shots on Goal |
1 |
1 |
| Saves |
1 |
1 |
| Fouls |
9 |
6 |
| Corner Kicks |
1 |
7 |
Final Team Stats
| Stat |
UT Southern |
St. Thomas |
| Shots |
8 |
11 |
| Shots on Goal |
3 |
1 |
| Saves |
1 |
2 |
| Fouls |
21 |
11 |
| Corner Kicks |
3 |
10 |
NEXT UP
UT Southern improves to 4-1-1 on the season with the hard-fought victory. The Firehawks will now shift their focus to the start of Southern States Athletic Conference play, opening league action on Thursday, September 18.
